Rehabilitation

Definition

Rehabilitation refers to the process of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy after illness, injury, or imprisonment.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˌriːˌhæbɪlɪˈteɪʃən/
• Respelling: ree-hab-ih-lih-TAY-shuhn (with "ree" as in "see," "hab" as in "habitat," "ih" as a soft, quick sound like the 'i' in "bit," "lih" as a soft sound as in "lit," and "TAY" as in "stay," followed by "shuhn" as in "nation")

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˌriːˌhæbɪlɪˈteɪʃn/
• Respelling: ree-hab-ih-lih-TAY-shn (similar to American English, with "ree" as in "see," "hab" as in "habitat," "ih" as in "bit," "lih" as in "lit," "TAY" as in "stay," and "shn" indicating a slightly more clipped ending than in American English)

In both dialects, "rehabilitation" is pronounced with the primary stress on the fourth syllable, "TAY." The pronunciation highlights the extended and rhythmic nature of the word, consistent across both American and British English with minor variations in the unstressed ending.

Etymology

"Rehabilitation" is derived from the Medieval Latin "rehabilitare", meaning 'to restore'. It is comprised of the prefix "re-", signifying 'again' or 'back', and the base word "habilitare", which means 'to make fit'.

Derivatives

• Rehabilitate
• Rehabilitative
• Rehab
• Rehabilitant
• Rehabber

Synonyms

• Recovery
• Restoration
• Renewal

Antonyms

• Deterioration
• Decline
• Degradation

Usage

"Rehabilitation" is commonly used in medical, therapeutic, and criminal justice contexts to describe processes aimed at helping individuals regain lost capabilities or to reintegrate into society.

Related Terms

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Corrective
• Recuperation
• Resocialization

Detailed Definition

Noun

• The action of restoring someone to health, normal life, or former capacities, especially by means of training and therapy, after illness, addiction, or imprisonment.
• Example: The athlete underwent rehabilitation after the severe knee injury.

• The action of restoring something that has been damaged or decayed to a good or acceptable condition.
• Example: The old building is under rehabilitation to preserve its historical value.

• A process designed to facilitate the process of recovery from injury, illness, or disease to as normal a condition as possible.
• Example: Post-surgical rehabilitation is crucial for complete recovery.